FOOD VALUE: Good but commercially protected and seldom eaten by sportsmen.

GAME QUALITIES: Probably the most aerial-minded of our Billfishes, but with plenty of stamina as well.

TACKLE AND BAITS: Light ocean trolling or heavy spinning outfits with lines up to 30-pound test; 12- and 20-pound lines are tops for sport. Anglers tar- geting White Marlin usually choose rigged trolling baits, such as Ballyhoo, strips or squid. They will, of course, eagerly strike live Blue Runners, Goggle-eyes and similar baitfish that are considered standard Sailfish baits. Artificial trolling lures also take many Whites.

FISHING SYSTEMS: Trolling; sometimes Drifting.

OTHER NAMES:

Spikefish

Aguja Blanco

RANGE: Blue ocean water off all Florida coasts and through- out the Bahamas and the Caribbean.

HABITAT: Like the Blue Marlin, a roamer of the open sea, and sought by anglers wherever feeding conditions or tempera- tures are most favorable.